BluePearl Pet Hospital Sandy Springs, GA Our Vets

Dr. Merna Abdo is certified in Fear Free handling and, in addition to emergency medicine, is interested in animal dentistry.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Sandy Springs, GA
• Clinical Rotation, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies
• Bachelor of Arts, Biology, Broward College, Davie, FL

Dr. Abdo enjoys trying new restaurants, exploring the city, strolling on trails and spending time with her Goldendoodle named Oslo.

Dr. Stacy Andrew's special interests include corneal diseases, ocular manifestations of systemic disease and eyelid surgery. Prior to BluePearl, Dr. Andrew served as a faculty member at the University of Florida.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
• Residency, Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, MSPCA Angell Memorial Hospital, Boston MA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Bachelor of Science in Zoology, University of Vermont, Burlington

Dr. Andrew enjoys traveling, reading and horse-related activities. She and husband, Dr. Alan Cross, have three French bulldogs.

Dr. Nicolas Berryessa is particularly interested in infectious diseases and immune-mediated disorders.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Georgia Veterinary Specialists, Sandy Springs
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
• Bachelor of Science, University of California, Davis

Dr. Nicole Block is a resident in our neurology service. Her particular clinical interests include medical and surgical management of intervertebral disc disease, vestibular disease, and seizure management.

• Internship, Neurology, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Sandy Springs GA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, VCA Shoreline Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center, Norwalk and Shelton CT
• Clinical Rotation, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies

Dr. Block loves exploring new places, attending live music shows and being outside. She brings her dog Coco everywhere with her.

Dr. Ryan Bray's clinical interests include acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease, minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, immune-mediated blood disorders, and nutritional management of the critically ill patient.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal Internal Medicine)
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, VCA Animal Hospital Aurora & Berwyn, Chicago IL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Bachelor of Science, Biology and Animal Science, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Bray enjoys sports, traveling and a number of outdoor activities. He and his wife, also a BluePearl clinician have a daughter and a number of pets: dog Rivers, cat Wilson, two leopard geckos, two corn snakes and a Betta fish.

Dr. Sequoia Bruinton enjoys all aspects of emergency medicine.

• Internship, Cardiology, Animal Specialty & Emergency Center, Los Angeles CA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Grand Rapids MI
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Animal, Poultry & Veterinary Science, Tuskegee University, AL

Dr. Bruinton enjoys running, reading, horseback riding and spending time with her family.

Dr. Sarah Camp particularly enjoys stabilizing and caring for patients in critical condition.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Sandy Springs GA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta

Dr. Camp grew up in Atlanta and loves spending time in the city with her husband and dog. She also likes traveling to new places.

Dr. Lena Cordell is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. She is most interested in emergency medicine, particularly toxicities and trauma.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, Auburn University, AL

Dr. Cordell enjoys playing music, hiking, watching sports and spending time with her cat, Donatella.

Dr. Alan Cross focuses on orthopedic surgery and frequently publishes and lectures on various procedures and topics within the specialty.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Residency, Surgery, University of Georgia, Athens
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Georgia, Athens
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Bachelor of Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville

Dr. Cross is passionate about motorsports. He can often be found in his garage under an automotive restoration project or racing his Spec Miata race car on various tracks in the Southeast.

Dr. Geishly Cruz Matos is interested in treating pets who need dermatology services, whether they have allergies, ear infections or underlying endocrine diseases. She is also keen on working in emergency situations and has been trained in Fear Free Certification, which focuses on stress alleviation for pets.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Veterinary Technology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan

When she’s not at the hospital caring for pets, Dr. Cruz Matos spends her free time enjoying nature with her dog. She also practices yoga.

Dr. Michael Di Cicco's professional interests include upper and lower urinary tract diseases, cystoscopy, abdominal ultrasonography, nutrition, and infectious diseases.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Bachelor of Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Dr. Di Cicco enjoys riding his road or mountain bike, watching Chicago sports teams, and spending time with his friends and three dogs, Marlowe, Linus and Max.

Dr. Erika Edmund is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. Interested in all facets of emergency medicine, Dr. Edmund finds treating trauma cases especially gratifying.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Arts, Biochemistry, Occidental College, Los Angeles CA

When not at the hospital, Dr. Edmund enjoys traveling, trying new food, playing video games and hiking with her dog, a one-eyed Chihuahua-terrier mix.

It’s a good day for Dr. Tuncay when he can treat a more complicated case or a case with a poorer prognosis. He is especially interested in treatments at the clinical trial stage and loves being on the cutting edge of technology and medicine.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus

Dr. Tuncay has a wife and two pets – a 15-year-old chihuahua and a 9-year-old Persian cat. In his free time, he enjoys reading, playing video games, hiking, going to movies, cooking and eating out.

Dr. Brolin Evans finds lymphoid malignancies gratifying to treat because of the success of current available treatments. He’s excited about the field of comparative oncology and its benefits to both veterinary and human cancer patients. The osteosarcoma vaccine is one such treatment being studied in both human and veterinary medicine that’s he hopeful to use in the near future.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology)
• Residency, Oncology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Internship, Oncology Clinical Trials Research, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville
• Bachelor of Science, Biology & Latin, Mercer University, Macon GA

Dr. Evans loves playing the piano and singing at church, as well as cooking and keeping reef aquariums. He and his wife have three geriatric dogs, cocker spaniel Sully, Brussels griffon Munchkin, and English bulldog Rex.

Dr. Rebecca Falgoust is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. She completed three years of research focused on genetic neurologic diseases in cats, and she is most interested in neurology and neurosurgery, specifically intracranial diseases and inherited neurological diseases.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, Auburn University, AL

Dr. Falgoust enjoys traveling with friends and family, going to concerts and spending time with her dogs, mixed-breed Benga and border collie Max.

As a veterinary internist, Dr. Heidi Fink’s special interests include feline medicine, gastroenterology/hepatology and endocrinology. She has given lectures on a variety of internal medicine topics, including feline retroviruses and canine/feline diabetes mellitus. She received the ACVIM resident research award for her master’s thesis project evaluating pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Master of Science, Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Minnesota, St. Paul
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara

In her free time, Dr. Fink enjoys outdoor activities including gardening, running, swimming, backpacking and skiing. She has three cats named Roxie, Samantha and Stuart.

Dr. Gelé is always ready to tackle challenging cases like immune mediated diseases, diabetic ketoacidosis and Addisonian crisis. She doesn’t shy away from puzzling or complex illnesses.

• Internship, Emergency & Critical Care, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Sandy Springs GA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Biophysics, Georgia State University, Atlanta

Dr. Gelé likes to travel and attend sporting events. An outdoor lover, she enjoys kayaking and hiking with her husband and two dogs. Emmy is an energetic, mid-size brindle herding mix who likes to run and play. Reese is a wire-haired Jack Russell mix who likes chasing squirrels, sunbathing and snuggling.

Dr. Jaclyn Gremley is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. She is most interested in surgery and orthopedics, specifically hips and knees (THR and TPLO).

• Clinical Rotation, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Master of Public Health, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Winona State University, Winona, MN

Dr. Gremley enjoys lifting weights, watching and playing football and basketball and spending time with her 6-year-old Bernese mountain dog, Hank, and her cat, Mush.

Prior to coming to Georgia, Dr. Hamilton was the medical director and oncologist at a busy referral hospital in Cleveland, Ohio.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology)
• Residency, Oncology, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Bachelor of Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Hamilton’s favorite sport is baseball – he’s a Cleveland Indians fan. He and his wife enjoy every chance they get to spend time with their son and daughter.

Dr. Holmes’ clinical interests include intensity-modulated radiation therapy in the setting of conventional fractionation, as well as the delivery of stereotactic radiotherapy. She is passionate about developing individualized treatment protocols for each of her patients.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Radiology-Radiation Oncology
• Fellowship, Radiation Oncology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Residency, Radiation Oncology, Tufts University, North Grafton MA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Veterinary Specialty Hospital, San Diego CA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Georgia Southern university, Statesboro

Dr. Holmes lives with her husband, two sons and two cats, Charlie and Kevin.

Dr. Shenise Howard is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. She is most interested in ophthalmology, specifically melting ulcers and working with clients to make treatment plans for unique ophthalmic cases.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, FL

Dr. Howard is also a certified indoor cycling instructor, and she enjoys teaching classes and working with new cyclists. She spends her free time taking long walks with her dog, Ava.

Dr. Courtney Hughes is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. She is most interested in emergent cases such as trauma, heatstroke, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), hemoabdomen and septic abdomen.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, Michigan State University, East Lansing

Dr. Hughes enjoys singing, traveling and spending time with her 2-year-old Holland Lop bunny named Nova.

Dr. Stanley Hunter enjoys all aspects of emergency medicine.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee AL
• Bachelor of Science, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee AL

Dr. Hunter likes watching sports to include football, basketball, tennis, golf and cheering on the Yankees.

The diagnosis and treatment of head trauma and neuromuscular disease drew Dr. Johnson to the specialty of veterinary neurology and neurosurgery.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology)
• Residency, Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando

An active sportsman, Dr. Johnson enjoys golf, tennis, and competing in triathlons. But even more so, he enjoys the company of his wife and their three children.

Dr. Ted Johnson enjoys educating clients about their pets’ conditions and training new clinicians on the BluePearl team.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Animal Medical Center, New York NY
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Johnson’s hobbies include biking and playing board games. He has a border collie mix named Remy.

Dr. Andrew Kurtzman is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. He developed and built a canine pericardiocentesis model that has been presented nationally and used to train veterinary students. Dr. Kurtzman is most interested in oncology, specifically lymphoma and canine hemangiosarcoma treatments.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station

Dr. Kurtzman enjoys spending time with his fiancée and two dogs, resin casting and playing Magic: The Gathering card game.

Dr. Nathan Lee is one of fewer than 100 board-certified veterinary radiation oncology specialists in the world. He came to BluePearl from the University of Tennessee where he was an assistant professor. He enjoys telling clients that compared to human medicine, animals tolerate veterinary radiation therapy much better and with fewer skin-related side effects than people. Dr. Lee is especially interested in intensity modulated radiation IMRT and stereotactic radiotherapy SRT. Both of these treatment options focus more precisely on tumor tissue, sparing much more of the normal tissue around tumors, which decreases the chance of side effects following therapy.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Radiology-Radiation Oncology
• Residency, Radiation Oncology, Tufts University, North Grafton MA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton MA
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Clemson University, Clemson SC

Dr. Lee and his wife, a veterinary pathologist, have one daughter. The family pets run the gamut: Camie, a chocolate lab; Willie, a black wire-haired dachshund; Ellie, a tri-colored, long-haired cat; and Maya, a green parrot. Golf, cooking, rock climbing and yoga are favorite pastimes.

Dr. Olivia Lex is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. She enjoys the variety of cases in emergency medicine and has a particular interest in wound repair and treating toxicities.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston

Dr. Lex favors outdoor activities, such as hiking, and is a huge football fan — especially the LSU Tigers. She has a little terrier mix name Dahlia, who is nine pounds of sass.

Dr. Lori MacDougall's special clinical interests include pain management, oncology and reconstructive surgery, although she also enjoys performing both orthopedic and soft tissue surgeries.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Residency, Surgery, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon SK, Canada
• Masters of Veterinary Science, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon SK, Canada
• Internship, Surgery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Washington State University, Pullman
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Canada
• Bachelor of Art & Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon SK, Canada

Dr. MacDougall and her husband enjoy spending time with their growing son Nathan, and their cat and dog. Whenever possible, you can find her outside swimming, walking or playing tennis.

Dr. Kristen Maxwell is a small animal medicine & surgery intern.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Trinity College, Hartford, CT

Dr. Maxwell has four pets: a dog, Gracie, a cat, Catniss, a blue-tongued skink, Sheldon, and a crested gecko, Curtis. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, mountain biking and trying new foods and restaurants.

Dr. Tiffany McAllister enjoys the variety that emergency cases bring. She finds it very rewarding to have the opportunity to help clients in their time of need work through a stressful situation with their pets.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Georgia Veterinary Specialists, Sandy Springs
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Iowa State University, Ames

Dr. McAllister has been a member of the Air National Guard since shortly before the 9/11 attacks. She stays active with CrossFit training and enjoys traveling to new places. Her personal goal is to hike to Mount Everest base camp. Rock and Sherman are her two rescue dogs.

Dr. Kevin Molina is fluent in both English and Spanish and is Fear Free and RECOVR certified. Dr. Molina is most interested in surgery, particularly soft tissue and open-heart surgeries.

• Clinical Rotation, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Molina enjoys traveling, visiting national parks, cooking new recipes, spending time outdoors and snuggling with his dog, Ollie, and cat, Penguin.

Dr. Caroline Monk is particularly interested in treating corneal disease and says nothing beats the satisfaction of a discharge after cataract surgery. She also enjoys re-checks or getting updates from owners

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
• Residency, Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Internship, Surgery, Emergency Critical Care and Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca NY

Dr. Monk enjoys running, hiking, horseback riding, rock climbing and spending time with her dog, Murphy and three cats, Zoey, Myrtle and Austin.

Within the internal medicine specialty, Dr. Olga Norris’ clinical interests include endocrine and gastrointestinal diseases. She especially enjoys feline medicine.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Master of Science, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Alabama, Birmingham

Dr. Norris and her husband enjoy traveling, cooking and hiking. They have two poodles and a cat.

Dr. Jennifer O'Neill is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. She is most interested in cardiology and surgery.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Georgia College, Milledgeville

Dr. O'Neill enjoys hiking with her dog, Mosley.

Dr. Julia O'Rourke is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. She is most interested in neurology, neurosurgery and physical rehabilitation.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs

Dr. O'Rourke enjoys spending time with her two beagles, being out in nature, traveling and experiencing new cultures and cuisines.

Dr. Pedro Olivencia is an intern in our surgical service. He is interested in all aspects of soft tissue and orthopedic surgery.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Atlanta, GA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Veterinary Science, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez

Dr. Olivencia enjoys playing sports, spending time outdoors and going to the beach. He has a wife, daughter and bulldog named Kai Malu.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, University of Florida, Gainesville

Originally from Nova Scotia, Dr. Jennifer Parkes' clinical interests include seizure management, inflammatory brain disease and intervertebral disc disease.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology)
• Residency, Neurology, Iowa State University, Ames
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Georgia Veterinary Specialists, Sandy Springs
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada
• Bachelor of Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax NS

Dr. Parkes and her husband, Dr. Nick Berryessa, met while completing their internships at Georgia Veterinary Specialists. Along with spending time with her husband and daughter, she also enjoys cooking, travel and hiking.

Dr. Courtney Paulis prides herself on learning the latest medical advancements to grow her knowledge and provide the best care for her patients. Her professional interests include wound repair and pediatric patient care.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro

Dr. Paulis is married with a son. She has eight cats and three dogs. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors, gardening and walking with her dogs.

Dr. Jennifer Pittman is particularly interested in the treatment of snake bites, sepsis and coagulation disorders.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, University of Georgia, Athens
• Internship, Emergency Medicine, Texas A & M University, College Park
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Texas A & M University, College Park
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, University of Georgia, Athens

Dr. Pittman is an accomplished violinist. She’s played since elementary school and has been a member of the Athens Symphony Orchestra since 1999. She enjoys traveling, scuba diving and the company of her three cats.

Dr. Sayra Reyes is particularly interested in gastrointestinal disease and toxicities.

• Internship, Michigan Veterinary Specialists, Grand Rapids, MI
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Bachelor of Science, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras

Dr. Reyes relaxes with a book or snuggles with her corgi-mix pooch named Kyler. She can also be found dancing with her husband.

Dr. Brayden Routh is an intern in our ophthalmology service. She is drawn to the intricacies of the eye and prefers to help treat pets with retinal disorders and intraocular procedures.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Sandy Springs, GA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
• Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater

Dr. Routh has an adopted Foxhound/Coonhound dog named Tallahassee. In her free time, she likes to take Tallahassee hiking, camping and kayaking.

Dr. Cassandra Ruthrauff enjoys all aspects of small animal surgery.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Residency, Surgery, Veterinary Surgical Associates, San Francisco CA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Garden State Veterinary Specialists, Tinton Falls NJ
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A & M University, College Station

Dr. Ruthrauff enjoys watching professional sports, particularly New England teams, as well as playing soccer, wakeboarding and snowboarding. Her two dogs and two cats also keep her busy.

Before joining BluePearl in Georgia, Dr. Sepulveda was assistant professor of veterinary radiology at the Michigan State University.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Radiology
• Residency, Radiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Masters of Science, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez
• Bachelor of Animal Science , University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez

Dr. Sepulveda and his wife have three children that keep them busy. To relax, he enjoys watching boxing.

Dr. Leslie Shelnutt enjoys all aspects of internal medicine. Her particular interests include immune-mediated, infectious and gastrointestinal diseases.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal Internal Medicine)
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Internship, Emergency & Critical Care, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Sandy Springs GA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Animal Science, University of Georgia, Athens

Some of Dr. Shelnutt’s favorite pastimes include traveling, painting, hiking and yoga. She has a Labrador named Wiggles.

Dr. Aaron Sieve is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. She is most interested in lancing abscesses and all aspects of ophthalmology.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Bachelor of Arts, Biology, Augustana College, Rock Island, IL

Dr. Sieve enjoys horseback riding, snuggling with her dog and reading new books.

Dr. Kelsey Smith is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. She is passionate about emergency medicine and especially interested in performing C-sections, as well as stabilizing trauma patients.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan

Dr. Smith loves spending time with her Catahoula mix, Leo. Her hobbies include traveling, DIY projects, baking, gardening and outdoor activities.

Dr. Smith is interested in exotic pets, but he’s also drawn to the science of surgery.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA

Dr. Smith has one cat and one dog. He enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and rock climbing.

Dr. Danielle Laughlin is particularly interested in cardiac imaging using advanced echocardiography techniques and novel treatments for heart disease including new drugs and supplements to support patients with chronic heart disease.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Cardiology)
• Residency, Cardiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Bachelor of Arts, Zoology, Miami University, Oxford OH

In her free time, Dr. Laughlin likes to travel, cook, and spend time with her family. She and her husband have a son, a daughter, two terriers, and one handsome cat.

Dr. Sonnenfield has a wide range of clinical interests – especially shock and toxicity. In addition to her responsibilities as an emergency clinician, Dr. Sonnenfield serves on the intern committee, helping to coordinate the program at BluePearl.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Georgia, Athens
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Doctorate, Clinical Biochemistry, Oxford University, United Kingdom
• Bachelor of Science, Kansas State University, Manhattan

Dr. Sonnenfield lives with her husband, two children, dog and cat. You’ll often find her on the soccer field, either playing on a women’s team or coaching her son’s team.

Dr. Rachel Tulipan has a particular interest in portosystemic shunts, patent ductus arteriosus and wounds.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Residency, Small Animal Surgery, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Sandy Springs GA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee College, Knoxville
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Washington State University, St. Louis

Dr. Tulipan enjoys playing tennis and volleyball, hiking, running, riding her two horses and spending time with her pets: Mickey, a mixed breed dog and cat Huey.

Dr. Walker’s special interests are in toxicology and trauma. Prior to joining BluePearl, Dr. Walker taught courses at Ross University in pharmacology, toxicology, internal medicine, emergency medicine and critical care medicine.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, Tufts University, North Grafton MA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts& Nevis, West Indies
• Bachelor of Arts, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Walker enjoys anything involving the water including kiteboarding, boating and fishing.

Dr. Jim Whitehead has special interests in immune-mediated diseases, endocrine diseases and gastrointestinal diseases.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Internal Medicine, Michigan Veterinary Specialists, Southfield
• Internship, Internal Medicine, Medvet, Memphis TN
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Mississippi State University, Starkville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville
• Bachelor of Science, Mississippi State University, Starkville

Dr. Whitehead stays busy and active with his family, including two sons. He is an enthusiastic college football fan and occasionally plays bad golf. His rescued pets include Echo, a black lab mix, and Loki, a border collie mix.

Dr. Christina Whitley chose the field of emergency and critical care medicine because she likes seeing all types of cases and being first in line to help save lives. Dr. Whitley finds respiratory distress, immune-mediated disorders, trauma and sepsis particularly gratifying to treat.

• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Sandy Springs, GA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Atlanta, GA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science & Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh

Dr. Whitley has a daughter and a son with her husband, who is a veterinary internal medicine specialist. They have one dog (a beagle named Rivers), three cats (Wilson, Edie and Hattie), two leopard geckos (Herman and Miranda) and two corn snakes (Bianca and Goliath).

Together with her family, Dr. Whitley enjoys running, reading, traveling, being outdoors and watching sports. She is a volunteer for CHERUBS, a non-profit organization that focuses on research and providing resources for parents of children born with congenital diaphragmatic hernias.

Dr. Kevin Winkler enjoys all aspects of small animal surgery. He currently serves on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s disaster relief team.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Residency, Surgery, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens GA
• Bachelor of Science, University of Georgia, Athens GA

Dr. Winkler and his wife have four children, two dogs and two cats. They enjoy traveling and following the Georgia Bulldogs.

Dr. Bailey Wright is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. She finds stabilizing critical patients and wound repair the most gratifying.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan

Dr. Wright enjoys traveling, discovering the best coffee shops, reading, exploring the outdoors and staying active. She and her husband are huge sports fans and enjoy cheering for their favorite teams.

After nine years as an assistant professor at the University of Illinois, Dr. Jackie Wypij remains dedicated to teaching others and is often invited to speak at national veterinary conferences. She also continues to pursue additional training for herself and has earned certificates in grief counseling, online teaching and clinical and translational research methods. Dr. Wypij’s particular clinical interests include canine lymphoma and mast cell tumors; feline cancer of all types, especially oral; and palliative and hospice care.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology)
• Residency, Oncology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Internship, Oncology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
• Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, Daemen College, Amherst NY

Dr. Wypij enjoys dancing the Argentine tango, hiking, camping or chasing after her two children.

Steven is passionate about orthopedic surgery and particularly enjoys fracture repair and angular limb deformity correction. At home he enjoys his large dog Bigwig, a South African Boerboel, and unwinds with reading, baseball and gardening.